Trip to Wembley would lift everyone

Kevan Hurst believes a trip to Wembley would boost everyone connected with Southend

Kevan Hurst says the whole of Southend will be given a huge lift should Blues reach the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final and set up a trip to Wembley.

Hurst has first-hand experience of reaching Wembley, with Scunthorpe and Carlisle, so knows just what a huge lift a trip to the national stadium can give a town and a football club.

The midfielder, who is top of the assist charts in the whole of England, has said he cannot wait for the second-leg showdown against Leyton Orient on Wednesday night.

He said: “I’ve been to Wembley a few times and have mixed emotions really from the times I have been there, so it would be nice to get there again and win.

“We know just how tough the fixture against Orient is going to be, they were very good in the first-leg but we defended well and got an important goal.

“They are probably still the favourites because of our injury worries, but I know for sure that every single player will give it their absolute all.

“The lift the Club and the town in general will get from us getting to Wembley will be absolutely massive.

“I’ve seen it happen before at my previous clubs and with Southend having such huge potential, it really would make for a special occasion.

“We know that we have got to get our promotion push back on track and I think that if we were to get to Wembley it would really benefit that push.”

Hurst, who scored what turned out to be the winning goal against Brentford in the Southern Area Quarter Final, is hoping he can get himself on the score sheet, or add to his 16 assists so far this season, on Wednesday night.

He added: “I would have liked to have scored a few more this season, I think I’ve only got two goals at the moment.

“But I’m pleased with the number of assists I’ve got, I actually thought someone might have caught me up as I hadn’t got one for a while before Saturday’s game.

“It would be nice to get either a goal or an assist that can help the team in to the final – I wouldn’t mind if it was similar to the goal against Brentford!”